Dump-car.



PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FRANK D IT CHFIELD.

lNvE NT UH P. DI'I'GHPIELD. DUMP OAR. APPLIOJ L'IION FILED NOV. 22, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

4 DUMP-CAR.

No. 890,224. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 9, 1908.

Application filed November 22, 1907. Serial No.403,28 1.

2 following is a full, clear, and exact descripvide a dump-car of simple,

cient construction that the inner ends of the forming a slidable tion of same. I

This 1nvent1on relates to dump-oars and particularly to that class of dump-cars in which the drop-bottom portion is formed of a plurality of swinging cured to the car at each side of the longitudinalcenter. 1.

Theanain obj ect of the invention is to produrable and effiwill be adapted to discharge its load from end to end in the quickest and most satisfactory manner.

- A further object is to provide an opening and closing mechanism for the doors that will be of few parts, inexpensive construction, and easy operation; that will allow the doors to be dropped to the lowest possible position to secure a maximum efiiciency of discharge,

' and that will look and hold said doors in their elevated position in the most-positive and rigid manner. 7 v

The invention consists essentially in a dump-car of the usual type having a supporting frame and longitudinal center sills, of a plurality of swinging door sections,'pivotally secured to the under frame of the car on each side of the longitudinal sills and. preferably extending from end to end ofthe car. A rotatable shaft extending longitudinally of the car is mounted in suitable slots located near transverse beams which form part of the under framework of the car. A series of levers are pivotally attached near the outer ends of said beams and are connected to said shaft to be operated there by. Slidable contact members are attached to the doors and rest on the levers thereby connection between said doors and levers. Through the rotation of the shaft, the levers are swung upwardly or downwardly as desired, thereby carrying the doors to their closed oropen positions. The slots within which the longitudinal shaft operates, are positioned in such a manner as to lie partly in the ath of travel ofthe free ends of the levers in the open position of the doors, the shaft lies out of the path of travel of the levers, but upon closing said doors, the shaft is adapted to creep to sections, pivotally se the opposite ends,

l of the slots to thereby lock the doors in closed position.

In the accompanying drawings :-.Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car constructed in accordance with my improvements and showing a series of swingingdoor sections extending-from end to end of the car. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of a car showing the preferred form of operating mechanism for the swinging doors Fig. 3 is a.transverse'sec tional view of one side of a car showing in full lines, the swinging door in its. elevated or closed positiomand, in dotted lines, the door in its 0 en position. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view 0' one of the doorsections showing the operating mechanism therefor. Fig. Sisa detail view of one of the sliding contact members showing the method of attaching same to the door. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the pivoted levers.

In the specification and drawings I have illustrated and will describe only that which I consider to be new taken in connection with so much asisold as will properly disclose the invention, leaving out of consideration well known mechanisms in cars of this type. 1 1

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates. the sides of the car body and 2 the ends of same. The under supporting frame consists of alongitudinal sill 3 extending lengthwise centrally of the car, and is built up of channel or angle bars and plates in the usual manner. A plurality of transverse beams 4 are secured to the longitudinal sill on each side of the center to support the body of the car.

5 designates a bolster located above the car trucks. An angle plate 6, positioned as shown in Fig. 3 and adapted to strengthen 'the car frame, forms a jamb for the swinging doors 7. These dumping doors which extend longitudinally of the car, are pivotally connected at their inner ends to the longitudinal center sills by means of hinges 8, inorder that when closed said doors will be adapted to lie in a horizontal positionto form the bot- 'tom floor of the car. When open, the doors swing outwardly and downwardly, as'shown in dotted lines in Fig.8.

9 designates a series of levers which are ivotally attached to the hingeplates 10 mly secured near the outer edges of the by means of the lever pins 1l and are prefertransverse beams 4. The levers 9 are pivoted ably of the form shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6,

in which each lever is provided with an offset bend 12, a starting bend 13, and a stop 14. the purposes of whichwill be hereinafter explained.

5 1-3 designates a slidable contact member, which is preferably a roller or pulley secured to the sides of each swinging door, said roller being mounted upon a shaft or pin 17, carried by the mounting 16 secured to the door, subst-antiallyas shown in Fig. 5.

1S designates a flexible connection, preferably a chain, between the free end of the lever 9and a longitudinal shaft 19, said chain being secured to the lever by means of the strap 20 and pin 21, substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The longitudinal shaft 19 is mounted within the slots 22, which are located near the inner ends of the transverse beams 4. These slots are preferably, though not necessarily, curved as shown in Fig. 3, and are adapted to lie partly in the path of travel of the outer ends of the levers. It is found advantageous to use four of these shafts to each car, each shaft extending from the end to the center upon each side of said car and operating the swinging doors in four sections. One end of each shaft is provided with a bearing 23 at the center of the car, while the opposite end 24 of the shaftris squared to facilitate the operating mechanism. A ratchet wheel 25 is mounted on the squared end of the shaft, said wheel being rovided with a ratchet or pawl 26 and a ock 27. The shaft may be rotated by means of a. wrench, lever, or other suitable device adapted to turn the square projecting end 24 of same. As the shaft is designed to creep from one end of the slot to the other, it is necessary to make the ratchet and awl mechanis' 1 movable with said shaft. ith this object in view, I have mounted the shaft and ratchet mechanism upon a movable plate 28 which is supported by a bolt or pin 29 movable in a slot 30 in the buffer beam 31, said slot being designed to correspond approximately with the slot 22. The plate 28 through which the shaft 19 passes and which carries the ratchet mechanism, is thus movable with said shaft in its operation from one end of the slot 22 to the other.

In operating the device to close the door, it is only necessary to rotate the shaft 19 by which operation the chain will be wound up, thus gradually drawing up the lever arm 9 to an approximately horizontal position. Dun ing this movement the shaft rests inthe lower end of the curved slot 22, as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 3, thus lying out of the path of travel of'said lever. hen the lever as been drawn up to occupy the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the shaft upon further turning will creep along the slot to the opposite end of same, as shown in section in Fig. 3, thus resting under the end of the lips lever arm and locking the door rigidly and During this operation, the contact members 15 slide towards the outei end of the lever arms andthus carry the doors to their open position. I11 the extreme open position while .the load is being discharged, the rollers are held by means of s itable stops 14 attached to the lever arm asshown'. The lever arm is curved as indicated at 13 to facilitate the starting movement of the rollers when it is desired to close the door. It will be seen that the opening and closing mechanism is simple, effective, and easy to operate. The doors are locked securely in their closed position and are furthersupported at their outer ends by means of the rollers or contact members resting on the has been re-- lever arms. When the shaft leased from its locking position, the doors open by gravity and may be held in anv desired position mechanism.

While I have shown the preferred form of the door opening and closing mechanism, it will be obvious that the present construc-' tion may be modified to sult the various requirements of different types of cars. In the type of car herein described, the dumping doors are adapted to discharge at the sides of the car. It will be apparent, however, that doors discharging centrally of the car may be operated by the same opening and closing mechanism. It will also be apparent that this mechanism may. beused to advantage in cars in which the dumping doors are hinged laterally with respect to the car body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by} Letters Pat by means of the ratchet said lever, and means for locking said door in closed position.

2. In ,a car of the class described, a hinged dumping door, a lever pivoted near one end of said door, a shaft rotatably mounted near the opposite end of said door, mechanism connecting said shaft and lever, and means for raising-the free end of said lever to close the door and lock same in position.

' man dumping door forming-a portion of the bottom of the car, a lever pivoted near one end of said door, a contact member secured to said door, a flexible member secured to said lever and means for raising the'free end of said lever to close the door and lock same in position.

4. In a car of the class described, a hinged dumping door, a lever pivoted near the outer end of said door, a contact member secured to said door and adapted to rest on the lever, a shaft mounted near the inner end of said door, and means for operating said lever to open or close the door.

5. In a car of the class described, a hinged dumping door, a lever pivotally mounted nearone end of said door, a slidable contact member connecting said door and lever, and a flexible mechanism for operating said lever to open or close,the door.

6. A dumping mechanism comprising a hinged doorpa pivoted member mounted nearone end of said door, a rotatable member mounted near the opposite end of said door a contact device between the door and said pivoted member, a flexible device connecting the pivoted member with said rotatable member and means for raising the free end of said pivoted memberto close the door and lock same in position.

7. A dumping mechanis'mf like comprismg a hinged door, a lever pivoted adjacent the outer end of said door, a contact member secured to the door and adapted to rest on said lever, a shaft mounted in a slot adjacent the inner end of said door, and a flexible connection between the shaft and said lever.

8. A dumping mechanism for cars and the like, comprising a hinged door, a leverpivotally mounted adjacent one end of said door, a contact member secured to thedoor and adapted to travel on said lever, a shaft mounted in a slot adjacent the opposite end of said door, a 'flexible connection between the shaft and said lever, and means for raise door, a contact member forming a slidable connectio'nbetween the door and said pivoted member, a rotatable shaft mounted adjacent the opposite end of said door, and a flexible connection between the shaft and said pivotedmember I I 10. A dumpingmechanism for cars and the likeco'mprisingahinged dumping door, a

pivoted member mounted adjacent the outer end .of said door, a shdable connection ,be-

tween the door and said pivoted member, 'a rotatable shaft mounted adjacent the opposite end of said door, a flexible connection.

or cars and the I closed osition.

comprising a hinged dumping door, a lever pivoted adjacent the outer end "of said door,

a slidable connection between the door and.

said lever, a shaft mounted in a slotadjacent the mner end of 887161161001, a flex ble-connection between the shaft and. S&ll-l9V61,

and means for actuating said shaft to close the door and. lock the same in position.

r 12. A device of the characterlldescribed comprising a hinged dumping dodfforming a portion ofthe bottom of a car, alever pivotally'mounted nearlone end of said door, a slidable connection between the. door and said lever, a shaft mounted in a slot near the opposite end of saiddoor, a flexible conneetlon between the shaft and said lever, and means actuated by said shaft for looking the door in closed position.

13. A device of the ,charadter described comprising a hinged dumping door, a pivoted member mounted adjacent the outer end of said door, a slidable connection between the door and said pivoted member, a rotatable member mounted adjacent the inner end of said door, a flexible connection between the rotatable member and said pivoted member,

and means for actuating said rotatable member to close the door and lock same in closed position.

14. A device of the character described comprising a hinged dumping door, a lever pivotally mounted near one end of said door, a slidable connection between the door and said lever, a shaft mounted in a slot near the opposite end of said door, means connecting said shaft and lever whereby upon the rotation of the shaft said lever will be drawn upwardly to close the door, and means for moving the shaft within said slot to lock the door in closed position. v

15. A device of the character described comprising arhinged dumping door, a pivoted member mounted near one end of said door, a slidable contact between the door and said pivoted member, a shaft mounted in a slot adjacent the opposite end of said door, a flexible connection between the shaft and said ivoted member, and means for moving thee aft within said slot to lock the door in 16.; device of the character described comprising a hinged dumpin door, a lever pivoted near one end of said door, a shaft mounted in a slot near the opposite end of said door, said slot being disposed to he artly in the path of the free end of said ever, and a flexible connection between the shaft and said lever.

.17. A device of the character described comprising a hinged dumping door, a pivoted member mounted near one end of said door, a shaft mounted in a slot near the opposite end of said door, one end of said slot being disposed to lie in the path of the free end of said pivoted. member,\a flexible connection between the-shaft and said pivoted member, and means for moving the shaft into or out of the path of said pivoted member.

18. A device of the character described comprising a hinged dumping door, a lever pivoted near the outer end of said door, a slidable connection between the dcor and said lever, a shaft mounted in a slot near the inner end of said door, a flexible connection between the shaft and said lever, means for raising the free end of said lever to thereby close the door, and means for movin the shaft Withinsaid slot to lock the door inc 'osed position. I

19. A device of the character described comprisin a car frame provided with longi-. tudinal sills and transverse beams, a plural ity of dumping doors hinged adjacent said i sills, a series of levers pivoted. near the outer end of said transverse eams, shafts mounted shafts within said slots to lock the in slots near the inner end of said beams, a flexible connection between said shafts and levers, and means actuated by said shafts for closing'said doors and locking same in closed position.

20. A device of the character described comprising plurality of hinged dumping doors forming the bottom portion of the car, pivot ed levers mounted adjacent the outer end of said doors, slidable connections between said doors and levers, rotatable shafts mounted in slots adjacent the hinged ends of said doors, means connecting said shafts and levers whereby upon the rotation. of the shafts said levers will be drawn upwardly to close the doors, and means for moving the doors in closed osition.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. I FRANK DITCHFIELD.

Witnesses:

STUART R. W. ALLEiv, WILLIAM G. ARMSTRONG. 

